Walsh, Joe

Tuesday, 30 May 2000

Was asked: when he will announce the new pollution control grants; the level of grant aid envisaged under the new scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Under the National Development Plan 2000-2006, a provision of £167 million has been made for a scheme of farm waste management. This measure will form part of the new regional operational programmes f...

Written Answers. - Milk Quota.

Was asked: if all milk quota owners and producers within the priority categories regardless of their temporary leasing record will be in a position to avail of and purchase additional milk quota under the recent...

Written Answers. - Genetically Modified Organisms.

Was asked: the systems that are in place to ensure that seeds planted here, excluding field trials, do not contain genetically modified products; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Seed of agricultural crops may only be marketed or grown in Ireland if it has been certified, and entered into the national catalogue or the European common catalogue of agricultural plant varieties. ...

Written Answers. - Farm Retirement Scheme.

Was asked: if he will grant continuation of the early retirement pension for a person (details supplied) in County Sligo in view of the fact that her income has been reduced as she is no longer employed and in f...

The late husband of the person named was a participant in the scheme of early retirement from farming and died on 13 August 1996. She then applied to have the pension paid to her, as his dependant, bu...

Written Answers. - Grant Payments.

Was asked: if, further to Parliamentary Question No. 219 of 10 May 2000, his attention has been drawn to the fact that a person (details supplied) is already in receipt of REPs payment on the rented lands; if he...

The lands referred to in Parliamentary Question 219 of 10 May last were first declared to my Department in March 1998 as lands leased, on a conacre basis, with less than five years to run. The lands a...

Was asked: when installation aid grant will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Limerick.

Payment to the person named under the national scheme of installation aid is expected to issue within the next two weeks.

Was asked: the reason conflicting information has been given for a person (details supplied) in County Mayo on his 1999 area aid application; if credit is being given for four parcels as listed; and when payment...

The person named originally submitted an area aid application form on 23 April 1999 for 50.30 hectares. Subsequently he submitted an amendment form, which instructed the addition of two parcels of lan...

Was asked: when a decision will be made on the application of a person (details supplied) in County Monaghan for a suckler quota; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

There is no record in my Department of having received an application from the person named for an allocation of suckler cow quota from the year 2000 National Reserve.

Written Answers. - State Laboratory Relocation.

Was asked: the up-to-date costs for the relocation of the State Laboratory and other laboratories under his aegis, from Abbotstown; the cost of relocation of the farm at Abbotstown; if additional land will have ...

As regards the estimated costs of the relocation of the laboratories, I refer the Deputy to the reply by the Minister for Finance to Parliamentary Question No. 74 on 23 May 2000. As regards additional...

Was asked: the reason the State Laboratory could not be moved from Abbotstown to facilitate a national science and technology park but can be moved to facilitate a national stadium; and if he will make a stateme...

The Government, having considered various options and sites, including Abbotstown, approved in April 1995 the putting in place of a mechanism to investigate the feasibility of establishing a science a...

Written Answers. - Grant Payments.

Was asked: when 1999 cattle headage payment will be made to a person (details supplied) in County Donegal.

Payment of the grant under the 1999 cattle headage scheme to the per son named cannot be considered further until, as explained in my reply to Parliamentary Question No. 113 of 12 April 2000 on this m...

Was asked: the reason the refund of an overpayment has been requested from a person (details supplied) in County Limerick for a 1996 headage payment in view of the fact the applicant is currently in receipt of f...

The person named applied on five cows and one other animal under the 1996 cattle headage scheme but listed 15 animals on the application form. Five of the animal tag numbers were duplicated and, there...

Was asked: when a person (details supplied) in County Mayo will receive the remainder of his 1999 headage and premia entitlements in view of the fact that he submitted maps verifying his right to claim the land ...

The 1999 area aid application of the person named has been fully processed and any payments due will issue as soon as possible.

Was asked: when a person (details supplied) in County Mayo will be paid his installation aid grant in view of the fact that all information requested has been submitted and he was promised payment some time ago.

The application under the scheme of installation aid cannot be further processed until essential documentation requested from the person named has been submitted to my Department. Following receipt of...

Written Answers. - Quarantine Regulations.

Was asked: the current policy regarding the importation of cats in relation to quarantine rules; if he will adopt the United Kingdom's position on the issuing of pet passports; if his attention has been drawn to...

For many decades past quarantine requirements have been in place for dogs and cats entering Ireland and the UK except in relation to dogs and cats travelling between both countries. The UK Government ...

Written Answers. - Rural Environment Protection Scheme.

Was asked: the incentives in place for those in the REP scheme to get involved in forestry.

Participants in the rural environment protection scheme must farm all their lands to the REPS specification for a contracted period of five years. As a general rule, any participant who reduces the ar...

Was asked: the number of farmers involved in REP schemes; the number of hectares involved; the percentage of land involved in agriculture included in REP schemes; and the projections for REP schemes under the 20...

Written Answers. - Flood Relief.

Was asked: if he has received the Teagasc report on the serious consequences for farmers due to the freak flood in the Buncourt area in South Tipperary; the steps he will take to support farmers who lost livesto...

The Teagasc report referred to is expected shortly. I will then be in a position to make a statement on the extent of the damage caused by the freak flood.

Written Answers. - Grant Payments.

Was asked: the number of farmers who have received payment under the special scheme for Border pig farmers; when the remainder will be paid; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

To date a total of 75 applicants have received payments under the special aid scheme for pig producers. Once the requisite information is provided to support a claim under the scheme, either by the pr...

Written Answers. - Control of Farm Pollution Scheme.

Was asked: if he will introduce a farm yard pollution grants scheme as many farmers are eager to carry out projects during the summer months; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

The national scheme for the control of farm pollution is currently in operation and applications in respect of proposed investment works continue to be accepted under this scheme. Under the National D...

Written Answers. - National Development Plan.

Was asked: the new services or extension of existing services contained in the new national development plan funded by his Department which have commenced or will commence in the south Kildare constituency durin...

Was asked: the capital programmes contained in the national development plan and funded by his Department which have commenced in the south Kildare constituency during 2000; and if he will make a statement on th...

I propose to take Questions Nos. 153 and 154 together. Under the national development plan, NDP, the agriculture, food and related rural development area has been allocated substantial Exchequer and E...

Written Answers. - Flood Relief.

Was asked: the financial relief packages which he made available to farmers arising from the very severe flooding that occurred on the river Shannon earlier this year to help alleviate the severe loss of fodder ...

While the severe flooding resulted in fodder and other losses for some farmers in the Shannon basin, the general level of fodder supplies during the winter was satisfactory. Accordingly, my Departmen...

Written Answers. - Abattoir Regulations.

Was asked: the number of accredited abattoirs operating here at present; and if he will give the comparative figure for registered abattoirs for each of the past five years.

The number of abattoirs operating at the moment, including those approved for export, is 436. Numbers operating over the past five years are as follows: 1999, 458; 1998, 477; 1997, 476; 1996, 497; 199...

Was asked: the amounts paid by his Department to each local authority to have abattoir regulations implemented in each of the past five years.

On 4 December 1996, the Government approved payment of financial assistance to local authorities to assist them in fulfilling their statutory obligations under the Abattoirs Act, 1988 to provide an ef...

Written Answers. - Rural Environment Protection Scheme.

Was asked: the number of farmers in County Westmeath who participate in the REP scheme; and the total payments to those farmers in Westmeath for each of the last five years.

A total of 1,557 farmers in Westmeath have been paid to date under the rural environment protection scheme. The expenditure in the county over the last five years is as follows:

Written Answers. - Grant Payments.

Was asked: the amount of payments to farmers in County Westmeath under the various headage schemes for each of the past five years.

The information requested by the Deputy is shown in the table as follows.

Written Answers. - Farm Retirement Scheme.

Was asked: the number of farmers in County Westmeath who have joined the farm retirement scheme; and the total payments to them in each of the past five years.

Since its introduction in 1994, 234 farmers from County Westmeath have joined the scheme of early retirement from farming. The total amounts paid to participants in County Westmeath in each of the las...